


The Way You Are

by lotuselise



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shop, Alternate Universe - High School, Bullying, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-05
Updated: 2012-12-05
Packaged: 2017-11-20 09:11:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/583677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lotuselise/pseuds/lotuselise
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean wondered why the kid kept coming back, but never questioned it. He liked the kid—far more than he should.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Way You Are

**Author's Note:**

> I AM SO SORRY FOR WRITING THIS. AUGH.

“So why did you break up with her?”

Dean shrugged and glanced up at his coworker Val, who was leaning on the register. “Just wasn’t feeling it.”

“That’s it?”

“Well, yeah. Normally, if you don’t see the relationship going anywhere, you break up with the person, right?”

“I suppose. But don’t you usually wait for them to break up with you?”

“Why bother waiting? Besides, I’m done with chicks.”

There was a chorus of suspicious sounds from his coworkers as one of his managers, Kendra, took up the conversation. “She cheat on you?”

He leaned over the machine as he steamed the milk for the drink he was making. “You think someone would cheat on me?”

“He’s got a point,” Val said.

“I’m surprised he hasn’t cheated on someone considering how much he chases tail,” Kendra muttered.

Dean gave her a dirty look then ignored his coworkers, finishing the latte in front of him. “Tall vanilla latte!” he called out as a man in a suit moved to take it and thanked him.

“I don’t cheat,” he hissed angrily at Kendra.

“Chill. I was just teasing,” she replied quietly as a kid his age approached the tills and ordered a hot tea. 

“This isn’t over,” he said, pointing at her as he grabbed a cup to make the tea as Val rang the kid up. Dean pressed the lid onto the cup and set it on the counter as he looked up. The kid’s shirt was rumpled and his tie backwards. He looked like he’d been through hell. Or probably the rain storm outside. Though something about his expression said it was more than that.

“Thanks,” he said quietly.

“You want honey for that?” Dean asked.

He stared at the cup for a moment before his eyes moved up to Dean. “Yes. That would be… nice.”

This poor kid seemed really out of it. Dean grabbed three packs of honey and handed them over, watching as the kid took the tea and his bag to a table in the corner. He huddled over the tea, his hands around the cup to warm himself.

“I just want to hug him,” Val said quietly.

“He sure looks like he needs it.”

“Give him a big bear hug, Dean. You give the best!”

Dean rolled his eyes. “Yeah, that won’t creep him out at all!”

“Uncaring oaf.” She punched his stomach. He didn’t feel it at all.

“You are nuts.”

“Thanks!”

Dean rolled his eyes and went back to the bar as another customer came up to order and Dean went back into the motions. Every once in a while he glanced over to see how the kid was doing. Eventually, the kid had warmed up and took his trench off, spreading his homework on the table. Dean wondered why he wasn’t doing it at home. 

By the time Dean finished the nightly chores and they were ready to close, the kid was gone, and Dean didn’t bother worrying anymore. Maybe he’d just needed a little respite from life. That’s why most people came into the café.

After close, Dean drove home and parked in his spot in the garage. He tilted his head to the side and could swear he heard a clicking noise that wasn’t supposed to be there. Cutting the engine, Dean popped the hood and got out to inspect what might be a quick fix.

“Dean!” 

He grunted as all 120 pounds of his younger brother crashed into his side, hugging him. “Hey, Sammy.”

“Aren’t you going to come in and eat?”

“Baby is makin’ funny noises, just investigating.”

“Mom made meatloaf…”

“In that case, I’ll stay in here,” he joked as Sam laughed. “Wanna help?”

“Sure.”

Dean moved to get his things out of the car, dumping his bag near the steps into the house as Sam lined up the tools Dean and his father used most. Dean let a smile escape as he returned and directed Sam to the car, giving him instructions. He was going to have to learn how to fix a car eventually. 

“How was school?” he asked.

Sam shrugged. “It’s school. And it’s only the first week.”

Dean nodded. That would have been his answer as well. 

“Did you decide on a college yet?”

Dean sighed. “No.”

“No offense, Dean. You don’t seem like the college type.”

He grinned. “No?”

“Nah. I can see you running a repair shop though. You’re better with hands on stuff than me.”

He ruffled Sam’s hair. “Now that sounds like a plan. Mom wants me to go to college though.”

“Mom will be happy if you’re happy,” Sam assured him.

“She will.”

Dean spun to see his mother in the doorway. She made her way closer and hugged him. “How was work?” She breathed in before stepping back with a grin. “You smell like coffee.”

“At least it’s better than motor oil?”

“You smell like that too.”

“Oh.” He smiled with a shrug.

“We’ll talk with your dad later. But have something in mind to do, okay? Some kind of technical school would be nice too.”

“I know.”

“Good.” She squeezed his shoulder before going back into the house.

“Why else would I get a job but to pay for school?” Dean muttered to himself.

“Impress girls?” Sam supplied.

“Girls are _not_ impressed by baristas, no matter how big their arms are. Eyes on the car, Sammy.”

That night Dean stared at the ceiling wondering why he’d even gotten the gig at the coffee shop. It didn’t matter too much. He figured any money was better than none. 

 

~*~

 

Over the next few weeks, Dean gave his future a bit more thought. The fact that his mother was open to the idea of him not going to a normal college was a relief. His father would take a bit more convincing. Dean’s grades were decent, but school really didn’t interest him. He liked figuring out how things worked, and how they were made. Hell, that’s why he and his dad had built his car from the ground up and why he was the only one that serviced it. He also took the telephone apart once when he was ten to see how it worked. When he put it back together, it didn’t ring. He didn’t make that mistake after he put it back together the second time.

Fingers snapped in front of Dean’s face and he jumped to see Kendra with her arms crossed. “Sorry,” he muttered and finished the drink that had been sitting without being mixed for too long.

“Actually, it’s time for your break.”

“Oh.” 

“And you _are_ allowed to daydream on your break.”

He smiled sheepishly as he handed the drink to the customer before pulling his apron off. He grabbed a quick drink before heading outside to sit on his car. He sipped quietly as he noted the sky getting darker earlier and earlier. Time wasn’t going to wait for him to make a decision about his future.

“That yours?”

Dean glanced over. It was the kid from before. “You’re that kid who orders the tea.” 

He nodded as Dean looked him over. The kid had short, dark messy hair and bright blue eyes. He wore a light trench coat over an unbuttoned dark gray sweater, a backwards tie and dark slacks that screamed private school. Either he’d gotten in with his brains or his parents paid for him to get in. Dean had a feeling the former was the most correct.

“Yeah. She’s my baby. ’67 Impala.”

“Cool.”

“Don’t know cars, do you?”

He shook his head. “Not at all.”

Dean smiled, amused. “What’s your name?” The kid shifted uncomfortably and mumbled something. “Sorry to say, not a mind reader over here.”

The kid sighed. “Castiel.”

Dean cocked an eyebrow. “Castiel.”

“Yeah.”

“What in god’s name made your parents name you that?”

He shifted again, staring at his feet. “God?”

Right, those kind of parents. “I’m gonna call you Cas. That cool?”

Cas smiled a bit and shrugged.

Dean patted the spot beside him and Cas approached. “Why is it you come here to do your homework?”

“I used to go to the library, but…” he sat and sighed.

“I know, the ambience isn’t really the same,” Dean teased and Cas smiled. “It’s cool. The library can be overwhelmingly silent sometimes.”

“Yeah.”

“How old are you?”

“Sixteen.”

“Sophomore.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m a senior this year.”

“Must be nice, close to getting out.”

“I suppose.” Dean grinned and checked his watch to slide off the hood as Cas followed suit. “My break is over. It was nice talking to you, Cas.”

“Likewise.”

“Walk me in?”

“Sure.”

Once inside, Dean went to the back, retrieved his apron and returned to the bar to see Cas sitting in his usual spot in the corner. He’d been coming in every other night or so since that first night Dean saw him. Dean found himself wondering if Cas had any friends. Surely he’d study with them if he did. Cas did seem a bit awkward. Maybe he had a hard time making friends.

Dean put the thoughts to the back of his mind as he went about his work, and again, by the time they closed, Cas had disappeared. 

“How does he do that?”

“Hm?” Val asked as she looked up from counting money.

“Nothing.”

A few days later Sam appeared at the counter and ordered. “Mocha and a bagel.”

“What are you doing here?” Dean frowned as he moved to get the pastry.

“Dad couldn’t pick me up. Something came up.”

“What about mom?”

“She had some book club thing. Dad told me to get a ride home with you.”

“I can’t look after you all night.”

Sam stared at him in annoyance. “I’m fourteen Dean, not four. I’m not going to run around screaming and spitting my bagel everywhere.”

Dean grinned. It was still hard thinking of his little brother as responsible. “Keep it in your mouth, kiddo.”

Sam snatched the pastry bag and took a giant bite from the bagel with a snarl, ripping a piece off. “OM NOM NOM!” he growled as he walked away.

Dean was doubled over laughing when he heard Val gasp. He looked over, thinking she’d dropped something, then followed her gaze over the counter. Cas stood there, his eye swollen shut, nose and split lip bleeding. Val called for the night manager through the backroom door to get the first aid kit as Dean dropped what he was doing and came around the counter.

“What happened? Who did this to you?!”

Cas shrank back a bit and closed his eyes, shaking his head. Dean realized how intimidating he must seem and took a step back. He ran a hand through his hair as Sam appeared at his side.

“Holy shit.”

“Sammy,” he warned to get a look of apology from his brother. The manager waved the kit at him and Dean took it with thanks. “Come on, Sammy. Help me clean him up.”

Dean led them into the bathroom at the back. He had Sam take Cas’s coat and sat Cas on the toilet as he opened the first aid kit on the sink, sifting through it.

“Brothers?” Cas asked as Sam nodded.

“I’m Sam.”

“Cas.”

Sam seemed interested by the name, but let it go as Dean handed him bandages. “Hold those.”

“Who beat you up?” Sam asked.

Cas seemed more afraid of the wet paper towel in Dean’s hand than Sam’s question. “Bullies.”

“They’re the reason you stopped going to the library,” Dean guessed.

“Yes,” he answered as he leaned away from Dean.

“Stop being a wuss. The quicker I get this done, the less it will hurt,” Dean told him and grabbed the back of his head to keep him from moving. He wiped the blood away from Cas’s nose first, decided it wasn’t broken so he wouldn’t have to set it back, then made Cas hold tissues to his nose in case it bled more.

“Don’t you know how to fight?” Sam asked.

“Sam.” Dean scowled at him before going after the cut in Cas’s lip as Cas grunted at the rough treatment.

“What? You taught me. You could teach him.”

“I already know how to defend myself,” Cas told him.

“By laying down so they can kick you better?” Dean asked as he held Cas’s chin and inspected his handiwork. It’d have to do.

“I have a brown belt.”

Dean sat back on his heels and gave Cas a look of annoyance. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“I might be good at it, but I don’t like conflict.” He then hissed when Dean went after the cut on Cas’s eyebrow that he hadn’t noticed before. Dean figured, if he could get all the way to a brown belt, he could deal with a bit of pain.

“Ever thought about self defense?”

“They’d just be encouraged to fight me more.”

“No, if you defend yourself, they’ll respect your power. Trust me on this.” He motioned to his brother. “Hand me a band-aid.” Dean set about patching Cas up. Once they decided his nose wasn’t bleeding anymore, Dean washed up as Sam took the kit back.

“I was doing fine with running away.”

“Why run?”

“I thought they’d get bored if they never caught me. There were only two guys, I didn’t think they’d get me.” Cas shook his head. “Tripped over my own two feet. I didn’t want to hurt them so I didn’t fight back.”

Dean snorted. “Some people need a good smack to get it through their head.”

“Sorry I brought my problem to you. I just… I didn’t want to go home.”

“Well, that’s what friends are for, Cas.” Dean glanced over to see Cas staring at him. “What?”

“We’re friends?”

“Well, yeah.” He smiled and squeezed Cas’s shoulder. 

Cas nodded with a smile and stood, just a little too close.

Dean sighed. “Cas. Personal space.”

He stepped back awkwardly. “Right. Sorry.”

“Why don’t you, uh, go sit with Sam. You guys can do homework together while I work. I’ll give you a ride home when my shift is over.”

Cas nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

Once he was back behind the bar, the manager strolled over. “I’m going to pretend that didn’t happen.”

“Thanks.”

Dean spent the rest of the night with half his mind coming up with ways to beat up whoever got to Cas. 

After they got Cas home, Dean pushed the incident to the back of his mind. He had a text to study for and didn’t have time to think about it. The next day, he saw Cas stop in. They nodded in mutual greeting, and Dean did not envy the bruise around his friend’s eye.

When he was let free on his break, Dean sat at the table with a sigh. “So. What did your parents say?”

Cas glanced up at Dean, then back down at his paper. “Dad said I should defend myself.”

“See?”

Cas shook his head. “It doesn’t seem right. They’re not really evil. Just misguided.”

“Bullies are always misguided!” Dean rolled his eyes. “Didn’t you see Avengers?”

“Avengers?” He tilted his head.

“Forget it. Do have a thing for getting beat up?”

“What?” He frowned.

“Look, these guys, they’ll never respect you if you don’t show them you can fight back. They’ll leave you alone if you show them you shouldn’t be messed with.” Dean paused. “Out of curiosity, why do you say they’re misguided?”

“The guy who gives the orders, his dad used to beat on him.”

“How do you know that?”

Cas glanced at Dean, then around the café. “Saw it through their window once when I was walking home from school. His dad stopped when his mom got sick.”

“Ah.”

“Fighting back just didn’t seem right, you know?”

“I gotcha.” Dean nodded and considered Cas. “You don’t have many friends do you?”

“We just moved back over the summer. My friends were… different.”

“Well, look. If you need anything, here’s my number.” Dean pulled a napkin over and scribbled his number across it before handing it to Cas. “Just text me.”

“Thanks.”

“No problem.”

Cas didn’t show up the next three days, and Dean started to wonder if he’d scared the poor kid off. When he went on his break, he found a text on his phone from an unknown number.

_[Had to bug my parents to get me a phone, but here’s my number. This is Cas.]_

Definitely got into the academy on brains, not money.

_[I better have a cool ringtone]_

_[Ringtone?]_

Dean laughed and shook his head. This kid. He put his phone down as he went back out to the floor and resolved to teach Cas how to personalize his damn phone.

He finally got to see Cas again the next day when the young man came rushing into the café, breathless with his eyes wide as he hissed, “ _HIDE ME._ ”

Dean glanced out the window to see a group of guys heading to the door. He came around the counter, grabbed Cas’s collar and dragged him behind the pastry case, pushing him down before leaning on it nonchalantly as the group walked in.

“Dean.”

“Zach.” So this was the asshat bullying Cas.

“You see a kid run in here?”

“Squirrelly kid in a trench? Yeah, he ran out the side door.” Dean nodded toward it.

“You holding out on me?”

Dean grinned. “Would I do a thing like that?”

“Because you have that big damn heart of gold. I’ve seen you with your brother at school.”

“What can I say? Bullies piss me off.”

“Don’t mess with me Winchester.”

“Watch it Zach. Baristas talk. Next time you might get decaf.”

Zach’s mouth pressed in a thin line as he held his tongue and motioned for his friends to follow him out. Dickhead.

Dean looked down to see Cas’s blue eyes peering up at him. “You can let go of my leg now.”

“Sorry.” Cas let go and got up to move to the other side of the counter.

“I’m tellin’ you Cas, he’ll never respect you if you don’t fight back.”

“We’ve already talked about this. He’ll get bored of chasing me eventually!” Cas growled before stomping off to the corner to take his usual seat and Dean just shrugged with a sigh.

Once his shift was done, he walked over to Cas’s table and knocked on it to get his attention.

“I’ll give you a ride home.”

Cas sighed and gathered his things.

Dean waited patiently and was puzzled. Every time he’d seen Cas, that damn tie was backwards. Did he just have incredibly bad luck while running from bullies, or did he tie it that way with a purpose?

“What?” Cas asked when he noticed Dean staring.

“That damn tie…” Dean waved his hand. “Nevermind. Come on.” 

Once they were stopped outside Cas’s home, he cut the engine, his music also cutting out.

“You always play that?” Cas nodded at the dash.

“Classic rock is the best.”

Cas smiled. “It’s pretty good. Better than the junk I usually hear on the radio.”

Dean’s eyebrows shot up. “You’ve never heard it? Damn.”

“You wanna come in?”

“Naaaah. I shouldn’t.”

“No, really. I bet mom wouldn’t mind and I bet she’d send you home with pie for the rides you’ve given me.”

Dean perked up at the mention of the baked good. “I do love me some pie.”

Stepping into the house was something new. It was the same and yet completely different from his own home. Cas’s mother greeted them as Dean took his shoes off.

“So this is Dean. It’s nice to meet you.”

Apparently, someone was talking about him. “You as well.” He shook her hand.

“I hope giving my son rides isn’t too far out of your way.”

“Oh, not at all!” Dean said, trying to be charming. He made his way through the pleasantries before she mentioned something worth his attention.

“Castiel’s karate competition is coming up later this week. Will you be going?”

“It is? He hadn’t mentioned it!” Dean looked straight at his friend as Cas shifted from foot to foot. “I will definitely be there!” Cas’s mother was delighted and offered to send him home with some pie, to which Dean happily accepted before Cas took Dean up to his room.

“I meant to tell you about that. I’m sure I won’t win though,” Cas told him as they climbed the stairs.

“Sure,” Dean teased.

“I would say you might be bored, but you seem to like fighting, so you’ll enjoy it,” Cas said as he opened the door to his room and flipped the light on.

“Why am I not surprised…” Dean muttered as his eyes wandered around Cas’s room. It was, in a word, perfection. Everything was organized, everything had a place, and it was cleaner than clean. Hell, even the bed was made. Compared to Cas’s personal look, it looked like Cas was compensating for how rumpled he always looked by being organized elsewhere. “It’s like I walked into Stepford.”

“What?” Cas asked when he set his bag down.

“Nothing. You’ve got Sammy rivaled for organizational skill.”

“What about you?”

“Me? My room is a clutter storm.”

“Really? You always seem very in control of everything.” 

“Ninety percent how you look, ten percent what you say.”

“What?”

“Nevermind. I might leave shit all over the place, but at least I know where everything is.”

“What were the names of the bands you played in the car?” Cas asked as he opened his laptop. Dean grinned and joined him at his desk. He very quickly learned that just because Cas recently acquired a phone did not mean he wasn’t skilled in the workings of the internet.

Dean left with a feeling that Cas would have a better understanding of damn good music, and with a Tupperware full of pie in the passenger seat.

 

~*~

 

“Dean!”

_[Yes, I will do a Kamehameha just for you during my bout. Whatever that is.]_

“Yeah?” he answered Sam as he laughed at the text.

“Is that Cas?”

“Yeah, why?” he asked as he knew he’d have to explain the intricacies of bad anime to his friend.

“You really like him, huh?”

Dean stopped. He liked Cas. Huh. He looked at his brother and dropped the phone, his thoughts completely shifting gear when he saw Sam’s face and bloody nose. “What happened?!”

“Benny took my iPod. He outnumbered me!”

Dean got out of the car and slammed the door. “Where is the little bastard?!”

They were back in the car with Sam’s iPod in five minutes.

“That’ll teach that little shit to mess with my brother,” he grumbled as he tossed Benny’s pants into the backseat. He hoped that was the last wedgie he’d ever have to give.

“Why are you picking me up today?”

“We’re going to see Cas’s competition, remember?”

“Oh, right.” Sam put his seatbelt on. “Is that why you were texting him?”

“Uh, yeah!” Dean smiled. “Totally.”

Sam stared at him. “Am I missing something?”

“Nope!” Dean started the car and put it into gear before muttering to himself, “I am.”

When they got to the auditorium, Dean wandered around the area Cas said to meet him.

“You came!” Cas appeared at Dean’s elbow, surprising him.

“Jesus, Cas. You’re like a goddamn ninja… Nevermind,” he said when Cas frowned.

“Well, thanks for coming. My parents couldn’t make it and it’s nice to have someone I know in the stands.”

“It sounds cool,” Sam told him. “Dean only taught me to fight dirty.”

“Ah hahaha, kids.” Dean grinned and put an arm around Sam. “Our mom and dad will be here soon, so we’ll go find a spot in the stands.”

“Sure.”

Dean dragged Sam away to the stands, wondering why the hell he was even there.

“What was all that?” Sam demanded as they sat. “You sound like you’re going crazy.”

Dean gave his brother a look of innocence. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Dean.”

“What?”

Sam narrowed his eyes and sat back to stare at the floor. “Whatever.”

Damn Sammy. He was too sharp for his own good. He could see how much Dean liked Cas even before Dean himself saw it. Why did he even like Cas? The kid was practically his polar opposite and they had barely anything in common. Well, they did dislike bullies and Dean had schooled Cas in the proper music to be listening to…

“It’s his turn.” Sam nudged him and they both sat up.

Dean was pleasantly surprised by the change he saw in Cas as the match began. No longer was Cas the scared kid he’d met that hid from bullies. He stood in the ring, focused and fighting back without pulling any punches. In addition to that, Cas was actually really good! Dean found himself clapping and cheering along with everyone else.

“That’s your friend, Cas?” his mom asked as she clapped.

“Yep.”

“He’s good! Maybe you should learn to fight like that, Dean,” she teased as he rolled his eyes. “Might give you a little self control?”

“Who needs self control with these good looks?”

Cas won his first few bouts and Dean kept looking forward to the next, cheering him on when he returned. The last two, Cas did not win, so he didn’t get onto the podium, but it didn’t matter. Dean found himself respecting Cas a bit more from seeing this other side of him. He could fight, but he chose not to. That was okay too, right?

“You did good.” He said as they caught him afterward.

“Thanks,” Cas said with a grin. 

“Look. I know we think differently about fighting, but I learned you’re pretty damn good at it.”

Cas tilted his head, a look in his eyes Dean couldn’t quite place. “Fighting here is different. There are rules. I don’t want to fight dirty.”

“And I respect that.”

“Thanks, Dean.”

“No problem.”

“Will I see you tomorrow?”

“Actually, I’m off tomorrow.”

“Oh.” He seemed disappointed.

“I can meet you after school,” Dean offered, hopeful. “You go to the academy a few blocks from the café, right?”

Cas brightened. “Yeah.”

“I’ll meet you outside after class lets out.”

“Okay.” He smiled.

“Later, then.”

“Bye.”

Dean felt a spring in his step as he and Sam headed out to his car.

“You’re whistling.”

Dammit.

 

~*~

 

Dean was actually early as he leaned on the wall outside Cas’s school. His history class had let out early after a test, so Dean parked at the café and walked over. He could hear the hoard of rich kids inside as they were let out for the day. Okay, so maybe he shouldn’t assume all of them were rich, but most of them were giving him curious looks as they walked past.

“Dean.” Cas sounded surprised as he rounded the entrance.

“That’s my name.” He smiled as a group of students stopped behind Cas and stared at Dean. He nodded at them, not sure what to say.

“This is Dean.”

“Hi.” He raised a hand in greeting.

“Bal, Anna, Mike and Sam.” Cas pointed at each in turn.

They all gave their greetings as Dean smiled. They seemed nice enough.

“You don’t go to our school,” Mike commented.

“No, I uh, I go to public school. Sorry to burst your bubble.”

“Some of us don’t have as much money as others,” Anna looked pointedly at Bal and Mike.

“Some of us have the wits to match the money,” Bal replied with a smirk.

“Shut up!” Cas punched his shoulder as Dean realized he really did not fit in here.

“No offense guys, but I’m gonna go.” He smiled as Cas shook his head. “It’s cool. I wouldn’t fit in anyway. It was nice meeting all of you.” And with that, he bowed out and started down the sidewalk. He heard Cas snap something then chase after him.

“Don’t listen to Bal. He’s kind of a jerk.”

“Yeah, well, just because I’m not booksmart doesn’t mean I’m not smart in other ways.”

“I know that.”

Dean stopped and faced Cas. “We make a really odd pair.”

Cas shrugged. “So?”

“It doesn’t bother you?”

“No. I like you.”

Dean blinked, the simple words striking him more than they should have. It was weird. No one had ever said that to him before.

“What’s the matter?”

“Nothing. Come on.”

“Where are we going?”

“Back to my car.”

“Okay?”

Dean glanced at him as they stopped at the street corner, waiting for the light to turn. “We’re gonna work on my car. I might need your help.”

Cas frowned. “What are we doing?”

“Switching out the radio. Sam wants to be able to plug in his damn iPod. It’s like disfiguring her, but I decided to give in because I’m a very cool big brother.”

Cas laughed. It was the first time Dean had really heard him laugh and he decided he liked it. He might have to make Cas laugh more later on.

They stopped off for food before heading to Dean’s house and Dean barged in as usual, yelling he was home.

“You hungry?” his mom called from the kitchen.

“Got food! Have company!” he yelled back as he motioned for Cas to keep his shoes on. “Garage.”

“Oh! Hello, Cas!” His mother smiled and pulled him into a hug as Cas looked panicked to Dean who motioned that he should hug back. “It’s so nice to see you!” she said as she let him go and shot Dean a look that said she knew she was being obnoxious. “Sam might be enrolling in karate because of you.”

“That’s… cool.” Cas managed, looking to Dean for help.

Time to break this up. “We’re gonna work on Baby, mom. It’ll be a while.”

“Holler if you need anything. Good seeing you again, Cas.”

“Likewise,” he said with a nod as Dean led him into the garage. “Is your mom always like that?”

“Oh, yeah. She’s totally a hugger,” he told Cas who looked horrified. Dean laughed. “I’m kidding, she was just trying to tease you.”

Cas blinked. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, mom is a bit of a prankster. Where do you think I get it from?”

“I suppose that is a good point,” Cas admitted as he slipped his trench off. “So, how can I help?”

Dean grinned and they got down to business and spent the rest of the afternoon arguing about electronics and which wires went where. Dean was laying backwards on his reclined seat as Cas was half in, half out of the passenger side, his torso resting on the seat with his knees on the concrete. Dean didn’t mind so much when Cas pointed out when he did something wrong, but he did stop at one point to name each of the tools for Cas and demanded he know the difference between flathead and phillips. 

“I know the difference, I put together my computer,” Cas muttered in annoyance as he lined them up on the floor of the passenger side.

Dean smirked. “Gotta say, I like seeing this side of you, Cas.”

“What side?”

“The snarky, talking-back side.” He shifted out from behind the dash to find himself face to face with Cas. They both stared for a moment before the closeness hit Cas and he shifted back. Dean almost told him he didn’t have to when he realized it was because of his personal space comment from not so long ago.

“I’m snarky?”

Dean couldn’t help but laugh. “You learned from the best,” he said as he slapped Cas’s shoulder and wormed his way out of his side of the car, calling Sam.

“Yeah?” Sam stuck his head in.

“Grab your iPod.”

Sam’s face lit up and he disappeared, thundering away upstairs. The thunder returned and he burst into the garage to hand over the device for Dean to plug in. It worked perfectly, aside from the fact that Sam’s iPod was playing some horrible emo song. Dean made a face and rubbed his forehead.

“What the hell did I agree to?”

“It’s a good song,” Sam protested.

“It sounds nice,” Cas agreed. “Is that really the time?” He pointed at the dash.

“Yeah.”

“I should really get home. I still have homework.” He began to gather his things.

“I’ll give you a ride.”

“It’s okay, you’re actually pretty close. I can walk. Wouldn’t want to waste the gas.”

“I’ll walk with you.”

Cas considered this. “Okay.”

“I’ll come with!” Sam slipped his shoes on and followed them out.

It was a nice night despite being late in the season. Dean wasn’t going to argue with mother nature’s decision and enjoyed it.

“Your family is nice.”

“Thanks. Yours too.”

“What are they like?” Sam asked.

“Very proper,” Dean answered.

“Then why do you hang out with a miscreant like Dean?” Sam nudged Dean, who pushed back.

Cas laughed. “My parents are very… I guess proper is the right word.”

“Is that why your room is all OCD?” Dean asked.

“OCD?”

“You know, clean—perfect.”

Cas smiled. “Oh, that. Yeah. And it helps hide things from them I don’t need them to know.”

“Like the bullying and stuff?” Sam asked as Cas nodded, but Dean felt like there was something more Cas wasn’t saying.

Once they got to Cas’s house, Sam and Dean waved from the sidewalk as Cas let himself in. Dean sighed as the door closed, wondering if Cas would have shared more about what he was hiding if Sam hadn’t been there.

“I like him,” Sam said as they turned to return home.

“Yeah. Me too.”

 

~*~

 

“Look, I don’t want to hurt you.” That was Cas.

“You? Hurt me?”

Dean let out a breath of disappointment as he heard laughter. He was on the clock, dammit!

He rounded the dumpster to find Cas up against the wall, Zach and his two friends surrounding him. “I’m sure I could help with that,” Dean called and watched them turn to him.

“You stay out of this, Winchester.”

“Come on, man. Leave him alone. Or does it make you feel manly to beat on someone smaller than you?” He knew it would hit a nerve and stood straighter as Zach turned to him.

“You wanna make this your fight? You got it.”

“Whoa, whoa. I’m on the clock, guys. Can’t we postpone this?” Dean edged closer to Cas to grab his collar. “I mean, if I come back from the dumpsters beaten to hell and back, they’ll call the police and that would be…” He shrugged as he began dragging Cas with him, back toward the door.

“What are you doing?” Cas asked.

“Saving you another beating. Shut up,” Dean hissed as Zach’s crew stepped back at his signal.

“This isn’t over, Winchester.”

“Wouldn’t want it to be!” Dean replied with a grin, dragging Cas back into the café.

“What did you do that for?” Cas demanded.

“Were you going to fight back?” He waited as Cas tried to work up a reply, but never did. “That’s what I thought.”

“Why can’t you trust me?”

Dean let out a defeated sigh as he saw his manager motioning at him to help. “Because I don’t like to see you getting hurt, Cas.” And he walked away, back to work, back to the monotony as he tried to push the encounter out of his mind.

It was true though. He was sick of watching Cas let people push him around. He needed more backbone. Maybe he could teach Cas to have more backbone.

He slumped down across from Cas when his shift was done.

“You’re right. I wasn’t going to fight.”

Dean nodded. 

“And I know you don’t like seeing me beat up, but I wish you would trust me to handle it.” Cas closed his book and leaned closer. “I was going to defend myself, and when they were down I was going to run.”

“That would have only pissed him off.”

“It would show them a bit of what I’m capable of.”

“You don’t get it.”

“Neither do you. This is your problem, Dean. You have no faith in people, so you try to do everything yourself. You don’t have to take on everything.”

That hit Dean with a pang in his chest. “I have faith! I care about the people around me so I try to protect them.”

“You’re so busy watching out for them that you don’t watch out for yourself. Did you ever stop to think about the people who care about you?”

“Come on.” Dean pushed the chair back as he stood. “Let’s talk about this _not_ in the coffee shop.” He glanced back to see his coworkers’ ears clearly on the conversation.

Cas shook his head as he began to pack his things into his backpack. “We should talk about this.”

“We will. Outside,” he said as he held the door for Cas.

“You really think fighting back will solve this?”

Dean ran a hand through his hair as they started down the sidewalk. “No. It’s gone on too long at this point. What did you do to piss him off anyway?”

“I bumped into him and then used words instead of fists.”

“I’m assuming they were big words.”

“Yes.”

Dean grinned. “That _would_ piss off Zach.”

“He was smart enough to infer the meaning of the words,” Cas grumbled and kicked a rock.

“So you picked the fight.” Dean whistled. “The guy is twice your size.”

“And twice as slow. In a fair fight, I could beat him.”

“Zach never fights fair and he usually has an entourage.”

“So I’ve noticed.”

“You said you were hiding things from your parents.” Dean glanced at Cas, who stopped. “What were you hiding besides the bullies?”

Cas opened his mouth, then shut it as he glanced at Dean. “I…”

“Cas, you shouldn’t try to be something you’re not. You are you, and I like that.”

“You like me?”

Dean grinned. “Yeah.” He really did. Cas was about to reply when Dean’s phone rang, and he pulled it out, recognizing the number. “Hold that thought, kay? Hey Jo. What’s up?”

“Hey! I’m in town with my mom tonight. Wanna get together and do something? She says I need to socialize or whatever.”

Dean made a face. “How long are you here?”

“The weekend and a few days. I take it by your question tonight’s not good?”

“Nah, I’m hanging out with someone tonight.” He smiled at Cas, who gave him a little smile back. “Having a heart to heart.”

Jo laughed “Dean Winchester having a heart to heart. Now I’ve heard everything. All right, well tell Sam I miss him okay?”

“Will do.”

“I’ll try you tomorrow. See ya.”

“Bye.”

God he missed Jo. He betted Jo would like Cas. Jo see it right away too.

“See what?”

Dean blinked. Did he say that out loud? “Nothing.”

“Is he a friend of yours?”

“ _She_ is one of my best friends. We used to ‘hunt vampires’ when we were kids. Those were the days,” he murmured as he thought back on it. They made stakes and everything.

“Vampires don’t exist.”

“Tell a couple of hyperactive ten year olds that.” Dean grinned. “I bet she and her mom have an arsenal in case the zombie apocalypse happens.”

“Zombies aren’t real.” Cas rolled his eyes.

“Have an imagination, Cas!”

“Hey!”

The two turned to see a group of seven or eight guys on their tail, Zach right in front. “You wanted to make this your fight, Winchester.”

Dean felt his stomach drop. He had not expected this. “Can you fight a group?”

“Can you?”

They looked at one another as Zach started toward them. “In this particular case, I’d like to take your point of view on this—RUN.”

And they did as a flurry of feet thundered after them. Dean skidded to a stop and grabbed Cas’s shoulder, pulling him into an alley, then spotted a small space behind a dumpster, pulling Cas in with him before the group rounded the corner. The two were pressed together, chest to chest as Zach and his crowd ran past.

“What should we do?” Cas asked.

“Wait.” Dean put a finger up as he heard them stop and linger, arguing at the far corner. “They won’t give up easily.” He could hear them agreeing to split up.

“Isn’t this a violation of your personal space?”

Dean smirked. “I can let it slide this once.”

It wasn’t until they were standing there, face to face, that Dean realized Cas wasn’t nearly as short as he had thought. Cas was only a few inches shorter than him. And that damn tie was backwards again. He pulled his arms up between them and fixed the stupid thing.

“Been bugging me since we met,” he muttered when Cas frowned up at him. He then felt the pressure of Cas’s hand at the back of his neck and suddenly Cass was kissing him. And all Dean could think besides liking it, was that Cas was really good at kissing.

When the kiss ended, Cas pulled back, eyes wide, as if he didn’t realize he’d done it. And Dean just rolled with it. He slipped his arms around Cas and went in for another round. Now this was what was missing, Dean thought as he sighed into the kiss. He’d never really enjoyed other kisses in his other relationships the way he did this one.

And then his phone rang.

They pulled apart as Dean shoved his hand into his coat pocket to try to stop the ringing sound echoing off the brick walls around them. He could hear yelling as their chasers were circling back.

“Shit.” He answered the phone, “WHAT?”

“Where are you?” Jo. Dammit.

“Running from some creeps, no thanks to you,” Dean snarled into the phone as he tried to squeeze out of their hiding spot, helping Cas out as the bullies rounded the corner.

“I thought I saw you.”

Dean turned as he saw his friend Jo standing behind them and smiled in relief as he clicked the end button on the phone. He never thought he’d be so relieved to see her in his life.

“Need some help?” She grinned.

“Hell yes,” he answered enthusiastically. “Think you can take on more than one at a time now?” he asked Cas as Jo approached, pulling her gloves off.

“Maybe?” Cas answered as he eyed her.

“She’s a friend,” Dean assured him as they faced the bullies. “Well, you found us!”

“I’m going to enjoy this,” Zach said.

“Ew,” Jo said as he looked them over.

“I’m not afraid to hit a girl,” Zach told her as he approached.

“Like you’ll get a chance,” Jo replied as she ducked his swing and gave him a punch to the gut. She was small, but she was fast, efficient and fought dirty. Once her punch connected, all hell broke loose and Dean was fighting off two guys as he saw Cas evading two others. Dean had one down as he saw Jo was ahead of him with two already down. 

Dean paid for his glance though, taking a punch to the chin before making a swing of his own, connecting with the guy’s shoulder. Unfortunately, it took his attention away from the others and Dean doubled over in pain when someone kicked his side. He was about to fend off another attack when the guy above him fell and Cas took his place. Both sides regrouped and they could hear Zach’s buddies backing out.

“They’re not worth it, Zach,” one guy said as he was looking at Cas with new respect in his eyes. 

“Stay out of my sight, pipsqueak,” Zach warned as Cas stared back, not giving an inch. The group turned and left the three in the alley as a wave of relief washed over Dean.

“Well, that was exciting!” he said as Cas helped him up, wincing when his side throbbed

“Why am I not surprised?” Jo asked as she approached and then looked at Cas. “He’s pretty good.”

“Yeah.” Dean put his arm around Cas and ruffled his hair as Cas smiled to himself. Dean looked back to her to see her head tilted, a slow smile appearing on her lips. He knew she was a quick study.

“Can you give us a ride?”

“Where’s your car?”

“Left it at home. Café is in walking distance and I was in the middle of tuning her up.”

She nodded and motioned for them to follow her back to the hotel. She got the keys from her mom, who panicked when she saw the bruise on Jo’s cheek, then glared when she saw the state Dean was in.

“Not even here for an hour and you drag her into a fight. What are you even good for?”

“Hey, she came and found me. Not my fault.”

“It was my fault,” Cas said as her mom frowned at him.

“Who the hell is he?”

“I’ll tell you later, mom. I’ll be back.”

Dean gave her a warning look in the hall as she smirked at him. She better not tell everyone.

“Next time, let’s meet under better circumstances,” she suggested as she dropped them off outside his house.

“Call you tomorrow?”

“I’ll be waiting.” She put the car into drive and left them on the sidewalk.

Dean shook his head as he turned toward the house. He knew she’d tell her mom, her mom would call his mom and then everything would explode. He let them into the garage, immediately went to his car and opened the door to sit down. “Never again am I going to put off finishing a tune up.”

Cas chuckled and took the passenger seat. “I have to admit, it _was_ exciting. Especially, when your friend Jo showed up. They didn’t know what to do.”

“She has that effect.” Dean turned to Cas. “You weren’t bad out there, fighting dirty for a change.”

“Yeah, well, not like we had a choice after your phone rang.”

“Speaking of that.” Dean grunted as he turned to face Cas, his side unhappy with the move. “Where were we?”

Cas stared. “You want to make out in the front seat of your car?”

“Well, I mean…” he trailed off as Cas got out. Dean cursed until he realized Cas had come around to his side and held a hand out. He took it and stood.

“I believe the back seat is the traditional spot. And also, you’re favoring your side, so I know you’re hurt.”

Dean chuckled and shrugged his jacket off. “Leave it to you to be logical about this.”

Cas pulled up the side of Dean’s shirt to take a look. “Wouldn’t want to hurt you while trying to make you feel better.”

“I think I can handle it.” Dean grinned and pulled off his shirt as Cas looked up at him. Cas looked so innocent when Dean was starting to realize he was anything but—especially when Cas’s hand was on his neck again, pulling him down into another kiss. He was really starting to like this take charge side of Cas.

“AHEM.”

They broke apart to see Dean’s mom standing in the doorway with her arms crossed, giving him a look like, IS THIS WHAT YOU GET UP TO WHEN I LEAVE YOU TWO ALONE? Sam peeked around the door frame and Dean felt his humiliation would be complete if his father walked in.

“Sweetie, where did you put… what’s going on?” his dad asked as Dean wanted to melt into the concrete. “What happened to you two?”

“Got beat up, sir.” Dean answered.

“After I ta—told you not to get into fights?” he corrected when his wife looked at him.

“Kitchen,” his mother ordered and Dean pulled his shirt back on before he led Cas inside. 

Dean sat on one of the chairs and Cas took the one next to him as Sam got the first aid kit out. Their parents were discussing something in the hallway, but Dean was pretty sure his mom was bringing his dad up to speed. 

Sam set the kit down in front of Dean. “They gave you that birds and bees speech, right?

“Sammy.” Dean scowled at him. “Yes.”

Cas took the kit and opened it, pulling out items as Dean turned his chair to face him. Cas had gotten away with barely a scrape on his cheek while Dean looked a bit worse. So, it was only fair that Cas pay him back for helping him out that one time. 

“Your nose will be swollen for a while, I believe.” Cas made a face. “Not that it makes much difference.”

“Oh, thanks.”

Cas chuckled. “Well, I mean, I don’t like you for your nose, Dean.”

Now that was much better. He smiled as Sam tapped his shoulder. “What?” Sam pointed and Dean turned to see his mother and father watching. “Uuuh…” Cas grabbed his chin to clean the cut on his lip as he yelped in response.

“I think they’ll be fine, dear,” his father said and patted her shoulder before walking away.

“The kissing felt better,” Dean hissed as Cas smirked to himself.

“I always tie it backwards.”

“Hm?”

Cas tapped his tie. “I was sick of being perfect like everyone else.”

Dean reached over and messed it up again, making Cas smile.

“You’re not like anyone else. You’re you, Cas. And I like you the way you are.”

Cas smiled. “Me too.”


End file.
